For this small community on the outskirts of D.C., the very soil their homes stand on mean so much more. I recently styled and shot this gorgeous home, designed by JWS Interiors and architect Piet Boon, which is part of an "agrihood," meaning the community's residents choose to support local farmers and the nearby markets where the local crops are readily available. I am a firm believer that a home feels rooted in something real if the outdoor surroundings are reflected in the interior design. Visiting a community such as this, seeing the intentional connection between a people and their land, and learning how we can foster this sort of friendship and sustainability was in a word: inspiring.

From the start, Boon sought inspiration from a traditional farmhouse ( Hello #TheNewSouthern), but chose to deconstruct the layout to highlight clean lines, simple geometries, and create open floor plans with soaring 12-foot ceilings. You'll notice the subtle displays of the outdoors throughout, as usual in the leafy greenery I placed here and there, but especially in the artwork. Note the ivory relief piece above one of the contemporary console tables, which upon a closer look appears to mimic tiny mushrooms that sprout overnight on a bed of fresh spring grass. Above the console's twin, two stacked pieces cased in acrylic boxes remind me of the baskets used to carry fresh produce from field to market. I loved spending time in this space, which was so full of light and space in the best way. As soon as you walk in, all your anxieties are sort of taken up by the vastness of space, and then they diminish. And that's the kind of design that really means something.

In this Seattle home designed by Katie Hackworth, eclectic and cool reign supreme. Katie is truly a grassroots designer, lending a hand from the beginning phases of architectural planning and seeing it through till we both fluff the last flower arrangement on the shelf. I so admire when a designer is multi-talented, and like so many other New Southerners, Katie truly brings so many skills to the table as she helps her clients build homes from the ground up.

We worked seamlessly together, and that working relationship translates to the subtly thoughtful moments tucked throughout these beautiful images. It was as if we spoke the same language, allowing for calmness and creativity to really flourish in the prep days and months before the shoot. And perhaps calmness is what I love best about Katie's spaces. While there's color, pattern, and playful items integrated throughout, Katie exemplifies a key element of The New Southern aesthetic—every room satisfies and soothes through balance.

Balance of the old and the new, as seen in her use of contemporary and vintage pieces. Balance of neutral and color, like crisp white walls and linens offset by funky shades and shapes of tile or patterned wallpaper. Balance of scale, seen with the use of both large scale artwork and delicate but striking accent pieces. It was such fun styling and shooting Katie's space, which so embodies the eclectic side of the New Southern that I often see from coast to coast.

I'm thrilled to share a beautiful project I recently shot and styled in D.C. alongside my fabulous friend and designer Christina Cole of Austin, Texas, who pumped new life into this light-filled space which, by the way, was dubbed the "Hottest Bachelor Pad in DC" by Curbed not long before.

Everything about this home feels thoughtful and collected—as if each piece were carefully selected to tell its own story. The "Collected" New Southern movement is a practice of meticulous layering and the use of unique pieces from far-away travels, which creates a feeling of comfort and warmth, as well as a sense of liberation from traditional design notions. The people who gravitate towards this style of design present items from travels and a life well lived.... they are wanderers and gypsy souls that are defying the rules when it comes to design. These individuals are not afraid to mix genres while bringing it back to the roots of mixing old traditional with their new found worldly finds. Christiana embodies this approach and you can sense her travels and life abroad through her approach to each room.

When I began styling, I wanted to take full advantage of the floor-to-ceiling shelving in the living room without stuffing them full of precious knick knacks as your grandmother might do. Instead, it took 8 (yes, 8!) trips to Goodwill in search of used books, which lining up the binding inward to create an unexpected layer to the room. Using my go-to practices for arranging a coffee table, I anchored the vignette with fuzzy greenery and payed homage to my ultimate inspiration, Richard Avedon, with a large-scale coffee table book. A special thank you to Salt and Sundry for letting us pull some pretty fabulous finds to help accessorize this beautiful space, who is another incredible New Southern moment HERE.

I'm often blown away at the creative ways traditional interiors elements can be elevated and brought forth into the contemporary design movement.

My latest project with Malibu-based Taylor Anne Interiors was one of those moments. This shoot and styling session was my second with Taylor, and hearing her inspirations and design process for this family home in Washington state is very much in line with The New Southern's ethos and aesthetic. She typically leans toward clean lines, touches of stone, and lots of natural and soft leather upholstery, but here, Taylor's work was influenced by very classic, and in many ways, very Southern decor moments. I took her design elements and let them influence my styling decisions prior to our shoot. Think: blue and white ginger gars filled with fresh blooms, a handsome bar strewn with traditional decanters and glassware, a traditionally set outdoor table meant for gathering and above all else fresh soft layers to accentuate this elevated take on the traditional home.

Throughout, you'll notice historic oil paintings (dating back to the Mayflower, literally!) now tucked into clean-lined, gilded frames instead of stuffy, ornate ones. Taylor strived to acknowledge the family's heritage with these pieces, conveying that special feeling of the home as a sacred place, full of memories and all your own. This mix of old and new, and ultimately the way she's ushered these unique, carefully collected heirlooms into a bright, inviting, thoughtfully layered space, is certainly a tentpole of The New Southern movement. These tiny touches foster that je n'ais se quoi that is so indelibly Southern... all the way in the Pacific Northwest!